Foie Gras

[david goodfellow]

Looks like there is a rising occurrence of attacks on restaurants serving Foie Gras.

http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2009...ter-attack.html

I seem to be reading more and more stories in recent weeks.

Had a meal here last year, it won a regional award, Best Restaurant North West? Cheshire Life?

The food was decent, and much to my delight the portions were generous.

[Harters]

Although the 39 Steps is, literally, just up the road, I've never eaten there. Can't recall it getting the award but, then, I don't move in the circles of folk who buy "Cheshire Life".

I choose not to eat foie (and would always explain this before ordering, say, a "surprise" menu) but would always condemn vandalism. That said, I can't say I'm sorry to hear to that they've taken it off the menu.

[sunbeam]

I always say let's do something about battery chickens and the massive corporations who benefit from this everyday cruelty before we start having a go at the foie gras makers.

Could it be that because foie gras is expensive and therefore eaten by 'rich people' it is seen as a more valid target?

S

[Infrasonic]

Protesting is fine but I don't see why they have to ram it down our throats in this way...

[nikkib]

Foie Gras protesters used to spend every satudarday outside places like Claridges and the Boxwood cafe protesting the use of foie gras there, no vandalism in those cases that i was aware of though

[nikkib]

Protesting is fine but I don't see why they have to ram it down our throats in this way...

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very droll!

[dougal]

Protesting is fine but I don't see why they have to ram it down our throats in this way...

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very droll!

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However, the French Government did try and 'ram it down the throats' of diplomats and their families at the recent NATO summit.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...icle6074135.ece

The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, having put international diplomacy under strain over the past fortnight, also appears to have been provocative on matters culinary at the Nato summit.

The Times has learnt that Sarah Brown, the Prime Minister’s wife, politely declined to eat the veal and foie gras served by her French hosts in Strasbourg last weekend. Although friends say that she does not seek to impose her longstanding views about animal welfare on others, her refusal to eat such food was noted by officials at the summit.

...

Foie gras canapés were offered to leaders and their spouses at a reception at the Rohan Palace on the Friday night. ... Foie gras, stuffed into guinea fowl, was also on the menu when Carla Bruni had lunch with Michelle Obama on the Friday.

I've not exactly been an ardent admirer of Mrs Brown, but as a quiet avoider myself, I'd like to draw attention to her quietly standing by her principles, even when 'put on the spot' diplomatically. Well done!

[david goodfellow]

Is this a seasonal thing ? because last February/march there was much activity, discussed on this thread

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=16674&st=90

[PhilD]

I've not exactly been an ardent admirer of Mrs Brown, but as a quiet avoider myself, I'd like to draw attention to her quietly standing by her principles, even when 'put on the spot' diplomatically. Well done!

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Mrs Brown - another mis-informed person.

There is bad veal and foie gras production as there is bad chicken, beef and pork production. There is equally good production of veal and foie gras as there is good production of chicken etc etc. I assume the Presidential banquets would buy high quality artisanal produce i.e. well sourced and well produced.

As someone up-thread says these attacks are as much "class/privilege/money" driven as welfare driven. If it was really animal welfare driven then it would by targeted against KFC and their ilk. But I assume that would generate more police activity...!

[dougal]

Mrs Brown - another mis-informed person.

There is bad veal and foie gras production as there is bad chicken, beef and pork production. There is equally good production of veal and foie gras as there is good production of chicken etc etc. I assume the Presidential banquets would buy high quality artisanal produce i.e. well sourced and well produced. 

...

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Is it possible that Mrs Brown was well-enough informed to disagree with your assumptions?

[Duncan]

Mrs Brown - another mis-informed person.

There is bad veal and foie gras production as there is bad chicken, beef and pork production. There is equally good production of veal and foie gras as there is good production of chicken etc etc. I assume the Presidential banquets would buy high quality artisanal produce i.e. well sourced and well produced.  

...

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Is it possible that Mrs Brown was well-enough informed to disagree with your assumptions?

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It is indeed possible she quizzed the chef about the sourcing of the meal, but at a high level banquet it is probably safer for her just to leave the meat rather than risk a resumption of the 100 years war.

I see the Times didn't actually attempt to make their article balanced:

Peta says that veal calves are plunged into dark crates and denied mother’s milk until their flesh turns white from anaemia, while foie gras is created from geese that have been force-fed so that their livers expand painfully to eight times their normal size.

No mention there of humanely raised rose veal (even if this time it wasn't they should still mention it), and this is the first time I've seen it suggested that the problem with foie gras is that the livers expand painfully: I wonder what evidence Peta think they have for that. To my amazement the Daily Mail report of the same dinner seems much more balanced.

[emsny]

This is slightly off-topic because it relates only to duck foie gras production in New York, but it shows at least that not all f.g. is raised in a way that most meat-eaters would find objectionable.

http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-02-18/new...e-gras-torture/

[Harters]

I wonder what evidence Peta think they have for that.

Might just be the Times using a bit of creative journalism - - there's nothing I can see on PETA's website to suggest they make such a claim.

[dougal]

This is slightly off-topic because it relates only to duck foie gras production in New York, but it shows at least that not all f.g. is raised in a way that most meat-eaters would find objectionable.

http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-02-18/new...e-gras-torture/

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That article specifically states that those US ducks are force fed.

Force-feeding, according to the RSPCA, would be a criminal offence here in the UK.

Edited April 12, 2009 by dougal (log)

[dougal]

...

It is indeed possible she quizzed the chef about the sourcing of the meal, but at a high level banquet it is probably safer for her just to leave the meat rather than risk a resumption of the 100 years war.

Personally, I am unaware of ANY foie gras production that is approved by ANY UK animal welfare organisation.

If anyone can cite specific approvals, I'd be very interested to learn of them.

Then we might consider the matter of presidential caterer's actual selection!

Ethically-sourced Ortolan, anyone?

Regarding the general matter of information as to the detail of diplomatic banquet menus, my understanding (based on readings such as the autobiography of a former UK Ambassador to Washington) was that Embassy staff would be expected to research such matters well in advance - particularly since Mrs Brown seems to have long held her opinions.

I see the Times didn't actually attempt to make their article balanced:

Peta says that veal calves are plunged into dark crates and denied mother’s milk until their flesh turns white from anaemia, while foie gras is created from geese that have been force-fed so that their livers expand painfully to eight times their normal size.

No mention there of humanely raised rose veal (even if this time it wasn't they should still mention it), ...

But if they did, they'd also have to mention that Rose Veal is almost unknown in France, and certainly regarded less favourably than the whitest of white.

... and this is the first time I've seen it suggested that the problem with foie gras is that the livers expand painfully: I wonder what evidence Peta think they have for that. To my amazement the Daily Mail report of the same dinner seems much more balanced.

PETA can usually be relied upon to take an extreme and confrontational position!

Always good for a quote!

I think the line taken by the RSPCA seems reasonable -

The RSPCA is opposed to the production of foie gras due to the many serious welfare problems it causes for the birds involved. Force-feeding prevents birds from carrying out their normal feeding behaviour, and the pipe used can damage the bird's throat and oesophagus. The handling involved during force-feeding can also be stressful. Force-feeding may additionally impair liver function and greatly increases the level of duck mortality (deaths). We also have major concerns about the keeping of birds in small, individual wire cages which do not allow the birds to stand, walk, preen or stretch their wings properly, and do not allow access to water for the birds to carry out water-related activities such as preening.

The RSPCA would urge all retailers not to stock foie gras, and for restaurants not to have it on their menus.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?...d=1170848190362

From that page they link to a (June '08) PDF giving more detail on the subject.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/BlobServer...application/pdf

... Foie gras is not produced in the UK, and would be illegal

under animal welfare laws due to the welfare problems involved and the unnatural nature of the feeding

technique. ...

Due to the force-feeding, the birds’ livers may become 6 to 10 times the normal size, with liver function

impaired. Studies comparing the mortality rates of force-fed birds with normally-fed birds have shown that

death rates can be 10 to 20 times higher in the force-fed birds during the two weeks prior to slaughter. This

greatly elevated mortality rate is possibly due to the compromised liver function, an increased incidence of

bone fractures, damage to the oropharynx, and/or the stress caused by the force-feeding process. ...

Useful publications

European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (1998): Welfare

Aspects of the Production of Foie Gras in Ducks and Geese: The report highlights many welfare problems

associated with the production system, and concludes that “force-feeding, as currently practised, is

detrimental to the welfare of the birds.”

Council of Europe Standing Committee of the European Convention for the Protection of Animals Kept for

Farming Purposes (1999): Recommendations Concerning Domestic Geese, Muscovy Ducks, Domestic

Ducks and their Crossbreeds: In these recommendations, the Committee points out that it is “aware of the

welfare problems connected to certain practices in the production of foie gras which do not meet the

requirements of the Convention.”

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/BlobServer...application/pdf

Edited April 12, 2009 by dougal (log)